Water well pump pressure switch problem

[old]

A couple days ago I got up to take a leak at around 5am and found I had no water. Went out to check what was going on in the well house. Found that one of the 2 power wires from the breaker panel was not making good contact so tapped on the switch and it kicked the pump on and I went to bed. Forgot about it till it happened again. Went to fix the problem and the screw broke off. Switch still works find but the wire is just on it by the pressure of a bend I made. I know if I try to drill the screw out I will mess up the tread so thinking I could drill it out slip in the wire in that hole then solder it in.
Does that sound like it would be a good and easy way to fix it.
And no I do not want to replace a $40 pressure switch if I can get a few more years out of it
 

[Cold Beer]

Drill the screw out, attach the wire with a star washer and small bolt.
 

[jackinok]

you could,simply wire the two wires together and use one side of the switch, ive done that before when i couldnt get to town for a new switch.
 

[JMOR]

[old]

That is hard on the motor and also causes a power drain you have to pay for all day every day and my electric bills are to high as it is LOL.
 

[old]

Always has to be a joker in the crowd. If it was dehydration I would not have gotten out of bed LOL It was the opposite other then the fact the pump in the well did not work my pump worked just fine and that is why I wanted the other pump to work so as not to leave a smell behind that I did not want left there LOL
 

[Russ from MN]

If it's 240, maybe if you have a leak! On 120 if you only break the hot wire there should be no current drain.
 

[Uncle Ernie]

Breaking only one line of a 240 VAC motor will not cause a constant power drain. It will leave the windings "hot" but no energy will be used.I will not cause your power bill to go up one penny...
 

[Russ from MN]

If it's a square D you used to be able to just buy the points.
 

[John T]

A good soldered connection will likely do as good and better then the screw holding down on the wire, so why not "go for it" unless you wanna (after drilling out if you dont trash it lol) use a small screw and nut or re bore n re tap the hole. Unless theres a short, as long as you break only one of the hots the motor wont run nor will there be any current draw, although I always used a 2 pole breaker/switch/contactor to open BOTH hots to turn off a 240 volt motor.

John T
 

[old]

Points are not the problem it is the $crew you use to hook the wires on an one of them broke. I have it fixed now used my 260 watt soldering gun to solder it on
 

[George Marsh]

OLD,
Your pressure switch is a double pole single throw switch. Why can't you just connect the broken side directly to the pump and use the other side to open the circuit?

If you have a 120v pump, connect the neutral directly to the pump and use switch to break the power leg.

Does this violate any NEC codes?

George
 

[John T]

Yo George, you ask "Does this violate any NEC codes"

As most here know Im rusty as an old nail on the latest NEC having retired as an EE in 1991 HOWEVER I can tell you anytime I installed a switch or safety switch or combination starter or contactor or circuit breaker or pressure switch etc on a 240 volt motor I ALWAYS USED A TWO POLE TO BREAK BOTH LEGS and I "suspect" its indeed a NEC violation to only break one leg on motor loads. Of course, on 120 volt you are only required to switch the hot leg not the Neutral which is grounded.

My old code book is pretty dusty lol

John T
 

[Russ from MN]

I believe the terminal is part of the stationary point.
 

[George Marsh]

JohnT,
I have a 12 year old Rudd A/C 220v. The motor contactor only broke 1 leg. When it went bad this past summer, I replaced it with a 2 pole. Every 220v window A/C I ever worked on only broke one leg.

SOOOOOOOOOOO it may be in violation of NEC, but if Old doesn't want to replace the switch do you think the NEC police will give him a ticket if he only breaks one leg? I know I would until I went to town and got a replacement switch.

George